1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for bending a laminated panel along one or more selected bend lines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Laminated panels formed from a pair of facing sheets and an intermediate core are used extensively in the construction of various types of enclosures. A prevalent trend in present-day panel design is the bending of the panels to produce corner, fin and other shaped constructions to provide a desired architectural appearance. Numerous methods for bending such panels have been proposed. In certain prior methods the panel is notched to remove a segment of the inner facing sheet and of the core to provide a notch or groove having a bottom adjacent to the exterior facing sheet; and thereafter the exterior sheet is bent about the bend line to move the exposed core surfaces and the inner facing sheet edges into justaposition. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,671,084 (MEYERCORD); 3,881,338 (TISCHUK); and 3,911,554 (FORD).
A brake-forming operation also has been employed to bend laminated panels. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,757,559 (WELSH).
The use of corner members to facilitate formation of large radius bends in laminated panels, and to hold neighboring sections of the panel in angular relation is known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,440,790 (NEREM).
Longitudinal bending of laminated panels to produce corner constructions is presently accomplished on a press providing a brake-forming operation. Where the length of the panel exceeds the brake capacity of the press, double-braking is required. Heretofore, longitudinal bending of laminated panels to produce generaly U-shaped fin constructions could not be formed on a conventional press.